I think my mojo is afraid of H1N1.

That’s the only reason I can think of that explains my mojo’s obvious absence. I have no interest in blogging (obviously) or coaching; personal training is slow and I don’t even care; I haven’t even wanted to do a cyclocross race since Capital Cup (although I’m doing one this weekend–an avondcross!); my cycling classes are boring and I don’t want to be there; I haven’t swam in who the hell knows how long. My mojo is definitely on hiatus. Maybe it went to someplace tropical; maybe I can go visit it there.

You know what I’ve been doing a lot of, though? Running.

Of all things, right? Anyone remember when I hated running, when those were the only workouts I ever skipped, when I did an Olympic tri without having ever run more than 4.5 miles? Apparently, those days are over. I love running.

And I’d love to tell everyone how that happened (because I know I’m not the only one who’s struggled with serious resentment towards one of our three sports), but I can’t. Because I have no idea how it happened. Maybe it’s like an arranged marriage–you spend enough time together, eventually you find love.

Anyway, if anyone knows a good mojo doctor, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll just be waiting for this mojo affliction to run it’s course. I’m sure that as the off-season progresses and I start reading about this race and that race and his plans and her plans, my mojo will take tentative steps back from Fiji or wherever it’s gone.

When signing up for the Giant Acorn, I figured I’d be psyched for a fall Olympic race after IMUSA - remembering how I felt post IMFL. Instead, I’m feeling unprepared. IMUSA left me drained vs. charged. Training has taken a backseat to a bunch or work…

I find it amazing how committed to training you can get when there is an Ironman staring you in the face.  Images of athletes reduced to crawling to the finish come to mind quite easily.  Once I rode with a woman training for her first Ironman who sa…

As I was reading CNN.com this morning, I came upon a commentary by Peter Bregman about the “Britain’s Got Talent” performer, Susan Boyle. When I finally broke down and clicked on the You Tube link last week, I found myself overwhelmed. There’s …

Yesterday, I missed my first scheduled workout in three weeks. I’ve been very disciplined and focused in this final run-up to my first race of the season, but last night I was exhausted. I practically fell asleep driving home from work. So a nap rat…

One of the things I just love about Girls on the Run is watching these girls challenge themselves. Sometimes it’s the physical – running further or faster, and eventually completing that 5K. But just as often it’s taking the mental or emotional…

“In sport, a good opponent can bring out the best in a man; the existence of a close rival focuses attention on technique, piles on the pressure, and the constant threat of being beaten keeps ambition burning. In an ideal world, a man would choose his rival, selecting him as carefully as he would a friend but, in reality, circumstance makes the decision for him.”

- from The Crossing by Kathy Watson

Major props to Erin today for reading my blog and throwing my words back at me. Stuart finally had his MRI this afternoon, so we drove in together but I brought my bike for the commute home. I had an awesome ride today, averaged over 16.5mph which in…

Thanks, Gracie, for being my run buddy.

My friend Andrea, whom I was lucky enough to meet through Trifuel, has been a role model since meeting her a year and a half ago. Not only is she chasing her third Ironman, but she’s taken up ultra-running and makes it seem so alluring. She also is con…

I’ve mentioned it only in passing, but it’s official–this year, I’ll be doing my first half ironman event. Lawrence 70.3. June 14, 2009. And yeah, I just registered. So I’m $240 into it, now, and no turning back.

I’m not scared. Not even particularly excited. Somewhere deep down inside me, I know I can do it. I know it.

My only concern is that it takes me away (at least a little bit) from those short, quick sufferfests that I think are my calling. You’ve seen pictures of me. I’m clearly not built for distance. The gods don’t give legs this massive and muscles this dense to marathoners; these legs are built for sprinting, preferably over very short distances and with the intent to hit somebody really hard at the other end of it.

Yet I find myself setting out on this journey (admittedly a little half-assed), more to see what it’s like than to make an honest go of it. And if nothing else, it’ll serve as early season base building for those short, intense sufferfests later on.

So the training plan is one week in. I’m loving it. And in five months, I’ll be joining the ranks of an elite few who can swim 1.2 miles, bike 56, and run 13.1 all in one day.

If you do triathlons, you’ve probably already heard of or seen or own this movie. What It Takes came out a few years ago, and is a documentary following the 2005 season of four pro triathletes. Stuart and I own both the movie and the spinner edition,…

Whatever it is, after reading Bike-o-Latte’s post on re-building the base, I feel a little bit more fired up to go out and just get ‘er done. Hope it helps you too!

I was going to do a top ten list, full of reasons why those of you who (for some reason or another) haven’t joined us crazies in the swimming, biking, and running. FYI, the reasons included lycra and the fact that triathlon doesn’t hurt nearly as bad as cyclocross.

But, after a little bit of thought, I realized that my primary testimonial for trying triathlon is way less tongue-in-cheek and way more visual. These aren’t the only two reasons you should begin preparing (right now!) for a multisport event, but they’re good ones.

What are those two good reasons?

Before.

After.

 

“So Tamara, what are you guys doing New Year’s Eve? There’s this new race out in Fairfax at 7pm that night, wanna join us?” Sure, why not. We’ve had athletically-inclinded New Year’s before. On December 31st 2002, we played tennis that afternoon bef…

 

Give me ’til New Year’s, kiddies.

It’s not that I’m busy. Just highly unmotivated.

I’ve never been much of a fan of Thanksgiving — overeating foods I don’t really like in the first place just never seemed like a way to give thanks. When I moved to DC for law school, I decided not to head back to my parents’ every year. Instead, I’d …

In my quest for a sub 22 minute 5K, I am becoming completely addicted to the sport of running. I was already addicted to this sport before, but my new goal is giving me so much motivation that I am starting to love every step I take.This whole 3 day we…

I’m not sure I’ve ever been more proud of my husband! Ironman Florida was an incredible experience for me as a volunteer, spectator and most importantly, wife of an Ironman.The day started so so so early, with the alarm going off at 4am. Nerves had str…

For someone who claims to love this sport as much as I do, it’s amazing how many different ways I find to waste time that could be put to more productive uses — whether it’s training, sleeping, or just important stuff like reading or getting laundry d…

I think I’ve watched the finish from the Olympic Men’s 4 x 100m relay about ten times by now, and every time it just blows me away. That’s got to be one of the best moments in sports that I’ve ever watched. I stayed up really late watching the other ni…

I’ve sort of written about this before. But it’s come up again, as I’m currently reading Off the Deep End, a tale of a 45-year-old man’s quest to qualify for the 2008 Olympics (sound familiar)?

One chapter he writes focuses on the physiology of the act. Looking at the average age of Olympic swimmers, society scoffs at the thought that a man (or woman) in his (or her) 40s is capable of the Herculean feats, the incomprehensible times posted by the world’s fastest.

The point he makes is that beyond talent, desire, training, motivation, and opportunity, older athletes must be able to overcome the brainwashing effect of society’s (especially western society’s) collective beliefs regarding age and aging.

And I have one friend who is intent on qualifying for the Boston Marathon. For her, it’s not really a matter of if so much as it is when. Right now she runs around a 10:30/mile marathon pace. To qualify for Boston, she’ll have to run for like 8:20. Boston may be somewhat elite, but with enough hard work, she plans to achieve it.

Both these situations are strongly resonant for me.

Because I’ve been wondering just how fast I can run. I don’t run fast, now. Maybe I’ll never run fast, taken as an absolute measurement (’cause let’s face it: right now a sub-9:00 mile is fast for me).

But I have somehow been conditioned to think that my genetics hold me back. My legs are too short. My lungs aren’t strong enough. My muscle fibers are all wrong.

In my mind, I’ve set a limit for myself, and am convinced that I am physiologically incapable of running any faster than, say, a 24:00 minute 5k.

But what if I’m wrong?

It comes down to a question of limits. Once upon a time, running a mile in under 4 minutes was impossible. Once upon a time, swimming a 200 m fly in under 2 minutes was impossible. Once upon a time, qualifying for the Olympic swim team past the age of 40 was impossible. And the inherent socialization of “4 minutes, 4 laps of a track, perfect”; “200 meters, 2 minutes, perfect” was a barrier that had to be overcome before those things could be done. Not only did talent and training and genetics and opportunity and conditions and motivation all have to come together for the athletes who busted through those barriers; they also had to contend with an inculcated sense of the impossible, that what they wanted to do–or what they suspected they could do–was beyond the realm of human possibility.

Those things have all been done. Which leaves me wondering:

Are there any limits? Or is it all in my head?

On a somewhat related note, I’ve decided that my best chance for qualifying for the Olympics someday is to take up Olympic weightlifting.

It’s been a week full of change with Spencer starting daycare and Suzie going back to work. I’m trying to work out a new routine. I just feel like a truck has hit me in general. Low energy, motivation, and I can’t seem to loosen up my legs. I’m goi…

So with that first and last hurrah, my racing season is officially done for the year. I haven’t gone a summer without racing since I was pregnant with my almost-9 year old. I’ve promised my hubby that we’ll take this summer and focus on bike touring wi…

Here’s my contribution to the Runners Lounge Take It and Run Thursday.I’ve posted this before. It gives me goosebumps watching it. Fires me up every time.Enjoy!

Note: I was going to title this entry “Moments in Tri-me,” but I thought that might be just a little too much.We have some pretty amazing moments in our sport, captured on video and preserved for posterity. Most famous? The 1982 Kailua Kona Ironman w…

After our karate belt tests, Albert Sensei who runs our dojo always has everyone sit down for a pep talk. You never hear the kids moan or groan about it either because he’s such a dynamic and engaging speaker and what he has to say is always meaningful…

You remember reading that corny story about the Little Engine Who Could when you were a kid? My son was so into trains that I read any book with a train theme to him approximately 10,000 times. So I read “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can” ma…

I had the day off from work yesterday and had planned a big ride since I won’t be able to get out next weekend. Unfortunately the weather was kinda crappy. Grey and overcast on the cool side. I was running low on motivation and had no riding partners…